Recreation

2011 Rugby World Cup

New Zealand is hosting over 60,000 international visitors at the Rugby World Cup 2011 — this page links to websites and resources about this large sporting event.

Tournament format

The tournament is played from 9 September until 23 October 2011.

World Cup events in Christchurch

North Hagley park will be a venue for the Christchurch Fanzone.

The International Rugby Board has announced 20 teams will compete, split into four pools of five teams. The full match schedule allocates Christchurch five pool matches and two quarter-finals.

The winning team gets to keep the Webb Ellis Cup until the next tournament. Read more about the Webb Ellis Cup.

South Africa are the current world champions, after they defeated England in the 2007 final. The All Blacks lost to France in the quarter-finals in 2007 and will face the French team again in pool play for the 2011 competition. See listing of competing nations.

Key websites

IRB Rugby World Cup 2011
Official website for the Rugby World Cup. Includes information about all the playing nations, venues, qualifying results and news.
ChristchurchNZ2011.com
Official host city website.
All Blacks
Keep up with the boys as they pursue the World Cup. Official All Blacks site.
New Zealand Herald World Cup site
Get the Kiwi perspective on all the news, teams and games.
Rugby Heaven World Cup
Another Kiwi perspective from Stuff.co.nz.
BBC Rugby
Rugby news from the British perspective.
Rugby Heaven
Rugby news from the Australian perspective.
South African Rugby Union
South African rugby union site.

Rugby World Cup history

Statistics
From the Official World Cup site, these statistics show player and team performance, as well as match results.
Historic rugby whistle to sound kickoff at World Cup
Read the full story on the background to the historic referee’s whistle and coin that was used in the opening game of the 2007 World Cup.
The 1987 Rugby World Cup
Although international rugby has been played for well over a century, the Rugby World Cup is a relatively recent phenomenon. The first tournament took place in May and June 1987, with games played in both New Zealand and Australia. A short history from NZHistory.net.nz.
2007 Rugby World Cup
Read background information about the 2007 event.